5/23/2014“I saw a fire on the news where animals were involved, and my mom and I were talking, and we found out many departments didn’t have the pet oxygen kits to help animals in house fires,” Jakub wrote in an email Tuesday.

With the purchasing power of Shawn Prohaska from Invisible Fence of NEPA, Mims was able to provide 50 pet oxygen kits for fire departments throughout six Northeastern Pennsylvania counties.

A majority of the pet oxygen kits were distributed at an event held at Hanover Township’s Breslau Fire Company on Saturday. The rest soon will be distributed.

“I saw a fire on the news where animals were involved, and my mom and I were talking, and we found out many departments didn’t have the pet oxygen kits to help animals in house fires,” Jakub wrote in an email Tuesday.

Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said the city’s fire department received two pet oxygen kits from Jakub’s efforts. One kit is with Medic 3, assigned at the South Station, and the other is with Medic 5, assigned at the Hollenback Fire Station.

Delaney said he expects the kits to be put in use as city firefighters handle a dozen or more fire calls that involves pets each year.

“We got the job done with the equipment we have but these pet oxygen flows are built to go over a muzzle rather than a human face,” Delaney said. “Surely it will make a difference.”

Delaney said Jakub’s mother, Dawn Mendygral, reached out a few months ago to determine if there is a community need for pet oxygen kits.

Prohaska said he learned of Mims’ fundraiser that is similar to Project Breath™ project, an effort by Invisible Fence®Brand to donate the same type of pet oxygen kits to fire departments and ambulance companies.

“When I heard the price they were paying for each kit, I knew I could get the kits much cheaper so I reached out to him,” Prohaska said. “Instead of 20 kits, he was able to buy 50 kits through Invisible Fence of NEPA.”

“There was a lot of community support and when we reached out to fire departments, they were very happy to receive a kit of us,” Jakub stated. “They came to my event and received their kits and it made me happy to give the kits to all of them.”

Mims raised money by selling homemade lollipops. With help from his mother, they spread their message on social websites and YouCaring.com. raising $1,500 through the end of April.